A quick game to refamiliarise myself with the rules for Hammer's Slammers The Crucible
A simple 'meeting' engagement of two equal forces: 2 Med tanks, 2 Light Tanks, 3 APCs (2xTU infantry per) and 1x Command (1TU infantry).
The objective is to capture a commanding fire position to cover the river. Once side has terrain obstacles, the other has more ground to cover.
(an aside, I got tired of all the shaky camera shots so I just bought myself a small tripod - I'm trying it out for the first time in this game)
The Plains
With the river running through it
View along the farm track
Commonwealth (CW) group of two detachments (Brigade Models kit)
The Free Foreign Legion (FFL) Group of Two detachments (GZG kit)
CW deploy from the fields, hampered by needing to cross hedges
While FFL have a lot of ground to cover
ACVs on patrol
Ready and...
Dash forwards
FFL reach the river, tanks in the lead
CW has a slower time (failing terrain rolls)
Tanks lead for the CW
FFL MICVs on a flank run
CW charge straight intending to debus infantry as close to the river as possible
View from the other side
FFL score hits, immobilizing a CW tank
In return the CW brew up FFL armour
And closer
CW tanks surge forwards, FFL infantry react
Getting into Buzzbomb range
Closer...
CW pound the FFL armour
Knocking out a MBT
In return the FFL disable a MICV and kill a TU of infantry
Meanwhile the FFL infantry unleash a highly effective barrage of buzzbombs, wiping out the light CW tanks
Mmm, game in the balance
FFL take a daring leap and go for the CW command vehicle, hoping to decapitate the unit and end their resistance
The FFL tank ends up staring down the barrel at the immobilized CW tank
CW MICVs deploy infantry and retreat (almost, the command vehicle fails to clear the hedge)
FFL MICVs advance to engage
CW armour falls back to cover the command unit
FFL infantry advance on the river
The FFL fare badly, with poor shooting and damage rolls, only knocking out the weapon on the command MICV
The light FFL tank does nothing, however, all the massed MICV fire first knocks out the CW gun, then disables the tank
The CW infantry unleash buzzbombs, destroying the FFL tank (Mmm, perhaps a 'lessons learned' here...)
Carnage!
With the loss of their main armour the FFL fall back to regroup
The CW move up to consolidate their posiiton
FFL infantry move back for pick-up by MICVs
Conclusion, the Commonwealth sneaked a minor win here, just. Its been a while since I played these rules and TBH, the last time I did it I felt I was making a lot of mistakes. This time I tried a simpler game and it was a lot of fun. It was fast, decisive and easily handled a coupe of platoons plus infantry. I think I'll be playing more of this soon.
On a photographic note, I'm not sure about the tripod. Its better for low-light, but I think it would be better for close in action rather then these distance shots. Maybe its the difference between infantry skirmishes and tanks that's throwing me off; I guess the answer is to practice more.
A simple 'meeting' engagement of two equal forces: 2 Med tanks, 2 Light Tanks, 3 APCs (2xTU infantry per) and 1x Command (1TU infantry).
The objective is to capture a commanding fire position to cover the river. Once side has terrain obstacles, the other has more ground to cover.
(an aside, I got tired of all the shaky camera shots so I just bought myself a small tripod - I'm trying it out for the first time in this game)
Conclusion, the Commonwealth sneaked a minor win here, just. Its been a while since I played these rules and TBH, the last time I did it I felt I was making a lot of mistakes. This time I tried a simpler game and it was a lot of fun. It was fast, decisive and easily handled a coupe of platoons plus infantry. I think I'll be playing more of this soon.
On a photographic note, I'm not sure about the tripod. Its better for low-light, but I think it would be better for close in action rather then these distance shots. Maybe its the difference between infantry skirmishes and tanks that's throwing me off; I guess the answer is to practice more.
